


Till You're Safe and Sound

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Coming Around Again [6]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 02:04:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2410925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You have to go now.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Till You're Safe and Sound

**Author's Note:**

> I have recently become obsessed with the song _Emily_ by Keri Noble and that’s where the title comes from. It fits Prentiss perfectly. Just perfectly.

“Oh God, that smells heavenly.” Emily came down the back stairs and into her kitchen. She wrapped her arms around Jason from behind, squeezing. The radio played Linda Ronstadt and they swayed together. “What is that?”

“It’s lightly sautéed chicken with angel hair pasta in a creamy parmesan Alfredo.”

“Mmm, just the words make me tingly.”

Jason laughed, turning in her arms. His first kiss was soft then he deepened it. Emily moaned and held him tighter.

“It’s sad that I won't get to watch you and the girls enjoy it. You have to know that’s my profoundest happiness. Did you kiss them?”

“Mmm hmm; they are sound asleep. What do you mean you're not going to watch us enjoy it?” Emily asked.

“You’ve forgotten haven’t you?” Jason’s lips moved down her neck.

“I think I'm going to plead the fifth.”

“I'm leaving tomorrow evening for the Criminology conference in Boulder. I am doing a symposium for the paper I wrote on rising female juvenile delinquency rates. Is it coming back?”

“Slowly. Tomorrow is Wednesday; when are you coming back?”

“Sunday afternoon.” Jason replied, returning to her neck.

“That’s a long time. I don’t want you to go away for that long.”

“Why not?”

“Because I will miss you terribly.” Emily said. She took his face in her hands and smiled. “I miss you enough.”

“The difference is that you miss me when you’re not here. This time we get to put a little twist on it. Twists are healthy in a relationship.”

Emily laughed. She went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of white grape and peach juice. Jason turned back to the stove, putting the finishing touches on his pasta.

“There is enough pasta here for Wednesday and Thursday evening.” He said. “I figure on Friday the girls will beg Nat to take them to McDonald’s.”

“They hardly eat that stuff, Jason.”

“I would really prefer if they never did.”

“Well that is where you and I have agreed to disagree, love of mine. Once in a while is alright…they deserve special occasion food. Nat and Dad have been really good about not overindulging them. Do you know how hard it is for a grandparent not to overindulge?”

“Yes,” Jason smiled. “And its not as if all fast food bothers me.  We take Fin and Emma to Friendly’s occasionally.”

“Then what is it?” Emily wrapped her arms around him again.

“My rigidity obviously.” He grinned. “Yes, I can admit it. I'm getting better, aren’t I?”

They both laughed; Emily kissed his nose. Jason preferred to cook for their four and five year old daughters. He made meals, snacks, and everything in between. Lavinia and Emma were spoiled by their father being there all the time. With the unpredictability of her job their mother appreciated it. 

Jason was mostly a stay at home dad and had been since Fin was in diapers. He taught 3 Philosophy seminars at American University and two seminars a year at the FBI Academy. When he wasn’t doing that, and Jason was serious about how he scheduled classes, he was daddy. Jason Gideon was content with the life and Emily made for themselves. How could he not be?

“I need to shower,” he said. “I have been cooking most of the afternoon. That Alfredo is from scratch.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes ma'am.” Jason kissed her. “So I am going to shower and throw on something comfy. Once that cools I can throw it in the fridge.”

“Want some company?” Emily asked.

“You know how hard it is to resist that, Agent Prentiss. Still, I think I will go on this mission alone and meet you in about 20 minutes for some much needed R and R.”

“You got it.”

Smiling, they parted ways. Emily watched him go up the stairs before grabbing a clove from her messenger bag. Taking her juice out onto the deck, she lit up and let the vanilla flavor fill her senses. Her cells came alive; Emily felt the buzz through her bloodstream. May had been warm so far but very rainy. This was the first day in over a week without some kind of precipitation. 

Emily looked up at the sky and saw a crystal clear half moon. She was almost afraid to answer the vibrating iPhone on her hip…she knew what I was. She knew and didn’t want it. Emily sighed; sometimes it was hard. She never hated her job, she loved it, but sometimes it was hard.

“Prentiss.”

“There is a situation in Charleston,” Hotch said. “It looks like a serial…we need you back here.”

“I'm on my way.”

Hotch could hear the resignation in her voice but decided not to call her on it. He knew she heard it too. 

“Alright. See you in a little while.”

“Yeah. Bye.”

Emily finished the clove and the small bottle of juice. Inside the house, she locked the sliding door, turned off the radio, and went upstairs. In the bedroom she could hear Jason singing in the shower. Emily loved the sound of his singing voice. Now she had to interrupt it with this.

“Jace?” she stuck her head in the bathroom. He didn’t answer so she came in. “Jason?”

“What's the matter?” he opened the glass door. When he saw her face he knew. “You have to go now.”

“South Carolina…a possible serial.”

“Kiss the girls.” He replied, holding out his hand for her. “Be safe love.”

“I love you,” she kissed him. “I'm sorry we won't be together tonight.”

“I love you too, and we have time to be together. Call me when you arrive safely.”

“I won't be back before you leave for Colorado.” Emily said.

“Don’t worry about the girls. Your dad and Nat will look after them as they always do.”

“I'm sorry about this Jason.” She repeated. “I didn’t want…”

“Stop,” he kissed her. “Go to work and I will take care of everything. When you come back I will take care of you.”

Emily nodded, heading back through the bedroom and down the hall. She stopped in Emma’s room first, kissing her sleeping daughter and stroking her raven hair. In Fin’s room she did the same. The five year old slowly opened her eyes.

“Hi mommy.”

“Go back to sleep sweetie. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Emily whispered.

“Are you gonna get bad people?” Fin asked.

“Yes. I will be back as soon as I can; I promise.  I love you.”

“Love you too, mommy.” She turned over clutching her baby doll and went back to sleep.

Emily hardly wanted to leave but she did. Duty called, the faster she did her job, the faster she could be back with her family. The pull was getting difficult; work, home, family, and the FBI. Elizabeth Prentiss always told her daughters they could do and have it all. She was a testament to it. As Emily started the SUV and lit another clove, she wasn't sure that “having it all” was what she wanted. Her iPhone buzzed again; Emily scowled. When she opened the text at a stop sign her scowl turned into a smile.

 _You're my hero. I love you so much, always, forever_.—Jason

***

                                                                                                                          

  



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